Nailing panel



De 20, 1955 G fc. BELTMAN NAILING PANEL Filed Jan. 16, 1955 United States Patent() NAILING PANEL George C. Beltman, Chicago, Ill. Application January 16, 1953, Serial No. 331,693 7 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) My invention relates to building structures and includes among its objects and advantages an improvement in fastening means for aflixing removable devices `repeatedly to building structures. It has been illustrated as a nailing strip for the door opening in a freight car.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of a portion of such a door opening, indicating the application of a nailing strip according to the invention thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an elevation of strip looked at from the inside;

Figure 4 is a detail view as on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section of an individual receiving strip;

Figure 6 is a section of a modified strip;

Figure 7 is a section of a pair of tapered wedges;

Figure 8 is a diagram of a nail and board assembled with the device.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, the freight car has a conventional sidewall 10 and a door opening defined by a floor 12 and an upper sill 14 and side posts 16. Referring now to Figure 2, the sidewall 10 is formed with an inturned lip 18 to define the post 16. The fixed housing for the nailing strip comprises the base 20, afiixed to the wall 10, as by rivets 22.

the bottom endv of such a 4Next the door post, the flange 24 extends over and then again parallel, as at 26, towardthe door opening, with its outer edge terminating in the plane of the lip 18.

Certain conventional door closures employ straps adapted to enter eyelets, and eyelets 28 can be provided in the portion 26 for that purpose.

At the other end of the base thereis a shorter bridge portion 30 and a reversely turned portion'32 to define a receiving hook.

The nailing strip proper comprises a score or so of nested plates 34 having wedge-shaped edges at 36 to guide the point of a nail between the leaves. Means are provided for holding theleaves in assembled relationship under pressure such that they will grip` an inserted nail effectively. It has been found that with metal strips rolled with the surfaces a little rough, a gripequal to or better than that obtainable by driving a nail into wood is easily secured if the spring pressure on the nested leaves is of the right amount.

The yieldable backing channel 38 has dimensions and is held in the `assembled position of Figure 2 by a series of bolts 42 spaced apart vertically about twelve inches or so along its length. Each of the leaves is apertured at 44 to receive the holding bolts.

Housed between the legs 40 are the leaf springs 46. Each leaf spring carries a nut 48 welded or otherwise suitably afxed to it in a permanent way.` As clearly shown in Figure 2, the head 50 of the bolt 42 has abutment with the flange 24, with the conventional washer 52 to reduce friction. Its threaded end passes through and beyond the nut 48, as clearly indicated at 54.

It will be apparent that, with the parts in assembled legs 40 of equal 2,727,595 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 relationship, the initial tension of the springs 46 may be quickly adjusted by the operator by placing a socket wrench over the head 50 and turning the bolt to increase or decrease the spring pressure. When a number of nails are driven between the leaves 34, the stack of leaves i Where the member 10 constitutes the inner face of the sidewall of the car as a whole, it may be desirable to guard against having the contents of the car slide up into abutment with the ilange 30 and the nested leaves. In such installations, a diagonal shield to the same surface as the base 20. The attachment means may be rivets in case the member 10 is of steel, but if the member 10 is the wood lining of a freight car already in service, the attachment means will be wood screws, both for the base 20 and the attachment at 58 for the shield 56.

Where the device is installed in newly constructed cars, which conventionally have an outer steel wall member and a lining of wood, the wood lining can come up to the flange 30 and end at that point, and be of a thickness equal to the width of the flange 24. In all three types of assembly, removal of the bolts 42 lets the leaves 34 fall out of place, and the channel 38 can then also be lifted out and assembled with a new set of leaves and put back in again.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 8, under certain conditions of service, it is desirable to localize the pressure on the nail and thus secure a slightly increased pressure at the areas of contact. The leaf of Figure 6 has the same guiding wedge 36, but it has been gently corrugated to present about four hollows and four ridges on each side. In an assembled nest according to the invention, the corrugations will all be identical, and after a nail has been driven, such as the nail 60 in Figure 8 passing through the wood member 62 to be affixed, the sides of the nail will be gripped with the entire force of the springs 46, but the gripping force will be concentrated at four spaced points on each side of the nail. Sometimes this gripping action is enough to flex the nail into partial or complete conformity with the corrugations of the leaves, but whether this happens or not, a satisfactory grip is secured. It

` nail only goes` half-way through the nest. This ability to grip nails of widely varying sizes and lengths is a little greater with the embodiment of Figure 6 because the smaller nails are effectively flexed to lit the corrugations of the leaves.

Where, as in the vertical post of a freight car, the load on the nails is always in the same direction, a slight increase in strength and dependability is obtainable by having the nested leaves at an angle of about five degrees, so that the side pull on the nail is at an angle of only eighty-five degrees to the axis of the nail. In Figure 7, I have indicated a front wedge leaf 66 adapted to lie against the flange 24, and a rear wedge leaf 68. It will be obvious that with these leaves constituting the end leaves of the nest, the intervening leaves will all lie tilted at the angle of the wedge.

56 may be attached Gthers may readily adapt the invention for use under various. conditions of service by employing. one or more of the novel features disclosed, or equivalents thereof.

If the floor of the car has a vertical opening under the space 64, broken nail ends can fall out; otherwise theyA can accumulate for a long time before causing any trouble. Withv all the bolts' as shown, removal of the bolts lets the. nest fall to pieces. lf it is preferred to remove. the nest as a unit, one bolt at each end can have, its head bearing against the leaves instead of the flange 24. The lower ends of the leaves may simply abut the floor surface or a suitable pad. At their upper ends they terminate a little short of the surrounding structure to leave an opening 74 so that if the nest sticksA in place after the bolts are removed, there is access to pry the leaves loose from behind. l

The inertia of the assembled nest' and the force of the springs 46; are ordinarily adequate to prevent displacement of the channel 3S toward the wall 10, but where unusually heavy hammering is expected, an L- shaped spacer block 72, of metal or wood, can be laid in before the nest is inserted. The springs 46 and nuts 48 can be tacked in place with Scotch tape for assembly, or. wire hammocks 76 can lie under the nuts and hold them in position to receive the bolts.

As at present advised with respect to the apparent scope of my invention, I desire to claim the following subject matter:

l. A structural membery adapted to receive and hold driven nails and the like, and to permit such nails to be pulled out the conventional way, comprising, in combination: a nest of metallic leaves; the edges ofv said leaves along the nest face adapted for receiving nails being smooth and wedge-shaped and defining .l-shapedY grooves for guiding a nail point to enter the nail between adjacent leaves; and spring means for compression of said leaves, to cause them to grip a nail driven between any two leaves; each leaf having generally parallel faces bearing against adjacent leaves or an intruded nail;` said leaf faces beingy generally plane, but with rough surfaces; said leaf faces curving back and forth on each side of the general plane of the face to define a plurality of shallow vertical valleys of less depth than the leaf thickness; and a supporting frame comprising a first fixed abutment for one face of said nest; a secondv movable abutment forthe opposite face; a pluralityof tension bolts normal to said leaves and extending through said nest; said. leaves being apertured to receive said' bolts; each bolt having a head abutting said fixed abutment on the face remote from said nest; a nut for each bolt; each nut lying spaced from the face of said second abutment remote from said nest; and spring means' between said nutsanl saidA second abutment permitting movement ol' said second abutment through a distance equal to several times the diameter of the nails said nest is adapted to receive; said spring means being a leaf spring for each bolt; each leaf spring beingV afiixed to its cooperating nut; said second abutment having pocket means receiving said spring means and preventing rotation thereof; said bolt heads being accessible from beyond said first abutment, for adjusting said springs; said frame including a rigidv base extension of said first abutment, said baseV extension extending from said first abutment parallel to and spaced from said nest past the plane of said second abutment; said extension having a reversely extending end portion lying in sliding Contact with said second abutment and preventing movement of said second abutment away from said extension; a wall structure in Contact with said base; and base being affixed to said wall structure; and a diagonal shield ar"- ixcd to said wall structure and extending diagonally out toV shield and cover said second abutment, spring means` and extension end portion.

2. A structural member adapted to receive and hold driven nails and the like, and to permit such nails to be pulled out in the conventional Way, comprising, in combination: a nest of metallic leaves; the edges of said leaves along the nest face adapted for receiving nails being smooth and wedge-shaped and defining V-shaped grooves for guiding a nail point to enter the nail between adjacent leaves; and spring means for compression of said leaves', to cause them to grip a nail driven between any two leaves; each leaf having generally parallel faces bearing against adjacent leaves or an intruded nail; said leaf faces beingA generally plane, but with rough surfaces; said leaf faces curving back and forth on each side of the general plane of the face to define a plurality of shallow vertical valleysv of less depth than the leaf thickness; and a supporting frame comprising a first fixed abutment for one face of said nest; a second movable abutment for the opposite face; a plurality of tension bolts normal to said leaves and extending through saidnest; said leaves being apertured to reccive said bolts; each bolt having a head abutting said fixed abutment on the face remote from said nest; a nut for each bolt; each nut lying spaced from the face of said second abutment remote from said nest; and spring means between said nuts andv said second abutment permitting movement of said second abutment through a distance equal to several times the diameter of the nails said nest is adapted to receive; said spring means being a leaf spring for each bolt; eac-l1 leaf spring being affixed to its cooperating nut; said second abutment having pocket meansreceiving saidt spring` means and pref venting rotation thereof; said bolt heads being accessible from beyond; said first abutment, for adjusting said springs; said frame including a rigid base extension of said first abutment, said base extension extending from said first abutment parallel to and spaced from said nest past the. plane of saidY second abutment; said extension having a reversely extending end portion lying in sliding cont-act with said second abutment and preventing movement of said second abutment away from said extension.

3,. A structural member adapted to receive and hold driven nails. andA the like, and to. permit such nails to be pulledy out inthe conventional: way, comprising, in combination: a nest of metallic leaves; the edges of said leaves along the nest face adapted for receiving nails being smooth and wedge-.shaped and defining V-shaped grooves for guiding a nail point to enter the nail between adjacent leaves; and. spring means for compression of said leaves, to cause them to grip a nail driven between any two leaves; each leaf having generally parallel faces bearing against adjacent leaves or an'l intruded nail; said leaf faces being generally plane, but with rough surfaces; said leaf faces curving back and forth onl each side of the general plane of the face to define a plurality of shallow vertical valleys of less depth than the leaf, thickness; and a supporting frame comprising a first fixed abutment for one face of said nest; a second movable abutment for the oppositeface; aplurality of tension bolts normal to said leaves and extending through said nest; said leaves being apertured to,v receive said bolts; each bolt having a head abutting said fixed abutment on the face remote from said nest; a nut for eachbolt; each nut lying spaced from the face of said second abutment remote from said nest; and spring means between said nuts and said second abutment permitting movement of said second abutment through a distance equal to several times the diameter off they nails said nest is adapted to receive; said spring means being a leaf spring for each bolt; each left spring being affixed to its cooperating nut; said secondV abutment having pocket means receiving said spring means and preventing rotation thereof; said bolt heads being accessible frombeyond said first abutment, for adjusting said springs.

4. A struetural member adapted to receive and hold driven nails andV the like, and to permit such nails to be pulled out in the conventional way, comprising, in combination: a nest of metallic leaves; the edges of said leaves along the nest face adapted for receiving nails being smooth and wedge-shaped and defining V-shaped grooves for guiding a nail point to enter the nail between adjacent leaves; and spring means for compression of `said leaves, to cause them to grip a nail driven between any two leaves; each leaf having generally parallel faces bearing against adjacent leaves or an intruded nail; said leaf faces being generally plane, but with rough surfaces; said leaf faces curving back and forth on each side of the general plane of the face to define a plurality of shallow vertical valleys of less depth than the leaf thickness; and a supporting frame comprising a first fixed abutment for one face of said nest; a second movable abutment for the opposite face; a plurality of tension bolts normal to said leaves and extending through said nest; said leaves being apertured to receive said bolts; each bolt having a head abutting said fixed abutment on the face remote from said nest; a nut for each bolt.; each nut lying spaced from the face of said second abutment remote from said nest; and spring means between said nuts and said second abutment permitting movement of said second abutment through a distance equal to several times the diameter of the nails said nest is adapted to receive; said spring means being a leaf spring for each bolt; each leaf spring being affixed to its cooperating nut; said second abutment having pocket means receiving said spring means and preventing rotation thereof.

5. A structural member adapted to receive and hold driven nails and the like, and to permit such nails to be pulled out in the conventional way, comprising, in combination: a nest of metallic leaves; the edges of said leaves along the nest face adapted for receiving nails being smooth and wedge-shaped and defining U-shaped grooves for guiding a nail point to enter the nail between adjacent leaves; and spring means for compression of said leaves, to cause them to grip a nail driven between any two leaves; each leaf having generally parallel faces bearings against adjacent leaves or an intruded nail; said leaf faces being generally plane, but with rough surfaces; said leaf faces curving back and forth on each side of the general plane of the face to dene a plurality of shallow vertical valleys of less depth than the leaf thickness; and a supporting frame comprising a first xed abutment for one face of said nest; a second movable abutment for the opposite face; a plurality of tension bolts normal to said leaves and extending through said nest; said leaves being apertured to receive said bolts; each bolt having a head abutting said fixed abutment on the face remote from said nest; a nut for each bolt; each nut lying spaced from the face of said second abutment remote from said nest; and spring means between said nuts and said second abutment permitting movement of said second abutment through a distance equal to several times the diameter of the nails said nest is adapted to receive.

6. A structural member adapted to receive and hold driven nails and the like, and to permit such nails to be pulled out again in the conventional way, and driven in again repeatedly, comprising, in combination: a nest of elongate metallic leaves; said leaves normally lying in substantially complete surface Contact with each other; one long face of said nest defined by the edges of said leaves being exposed to receive nails driven in perpendicular to the exposed face and between adjacent leaves; and resilient means normally holding said leaves in contact and under pressure; whereby forcing in a nail between any two adjacent leaves increases the tension in said resilient means.

7. A member according to claim 6 in which said leaves are corrugated, with the corrugations running parallel to the face exposed to receive nails.

Eichner Aug. 14, 1934 Oesterling Aug. 31, 1937 

